The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Offences Commission, ICPC, has summoned top management officials of the Petroleum and Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, over alleged N3.5billion fraud in the Petroleum Support Scheme, PSF.

The invitation followed a petition by a Port Harcourt-based petroleum products marketer, Ledisi Dagogo-Jack.

In a petition dated August 13, 2013, Mr. Dagogo-Jack requested the ICPC to, among others, investigate the Executive Secretary of the PPPRA, Reginald Stanley; the Assistant General Manager (Finance), Peter Tokan; the Internal Auditor, Dominic Aniemeke, on their culpability in alleged fraudulent acts involving petroleum products surveys at the country’s ports.

In addition, the petroleum products marketer also wanted the Personal Assistant to the Executive Secretary, PPPRA, Farouk Mohammed, probed along with two other aides, Gaji Mohammed and Hussaina Modibbo (Technical Assistant) over their roles in the alleged illegal award and execution of multi-million Naira contracts involving two suspected unregistered companies, Busihfer Nigeria Ltd and Ashmos Global Services.

The accused persons are expected to appear before the ICPC on Tuesday at its Abuja headquarters along with the General Manager (Operations), Wole Adamolekun; Internal Auditor, Dominic Aniemeke and one John Egundebi, who were accused of complicity in the alleged fraudulent acts involving the agency’s Pension Funds and tax returns on its pay-as-you-earn, P.A.Y.E system.

In his petition, Mr. Dagogo-Jack said he was in possession of evidences of fraud committed under Mr. Stanley’s watch, in connivance with Mr. Tokan, which contravened the provisions of the public service financial rules and regulations.

“I believe that the management of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency has a case of corruption to answer,” he said. “I plead that you use your goodwill, exposure and credible anti-corruption platform to effect a thorough investigation of the financial dealings in the agency and rid the public sector of the monster of corruption.”

In one of the cases, Mr. Dagodo-Jack named five independent inspectorate firms (GMO, Saybolt, Inspectorate, SGS and Vibrant Ventures Ltd) reportedly hired by the executive secretary on assumption of office in November 2011, allegedly to sideline the Inspectorate Department of PPPRA charged with the responsibility of ensuring quality control, haulage and survey of petroleum products under the PSF.

He said contrary to the monthly commission of N5million to each of the inspectorate firms usually paid by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC subsidiary, Pipelines and Products Marketing Company, PPMC, for products surveys at the ports, the PPPRA has, since 2011, been disbursing N70 million monthly to each of the five firms, resulting in the accumulated disbursement of about N3.5billion so far.

In another case, the petitioner accused Gaji Muhammad of overreaching his official powers by approving the contract for the supply and installation of computer accessories worth more than N23million to external suppliers without due process, in disregard of the Public Procurement Act.

Apart from exceeding the N2.5million approval limit for external contracts, the petitioner said the award to three companies, endorsed solely by Mr. Muhammad, ignored normal tendering processes, as they were not supported by letters of no objection, advertorial and technical bid processes.

Similarly, Mr. Dagogo-Jack accused the Personal Assistant to the Executive Secretary, Farouk Mohammed, of using two unregistered companies, Busihfer Nigeria Ltd. and Ashmos Global Services, allegedly linked to him, to award himself phony contracts worth several millions of Naira.

He accused the PPPRA management of flouting laid down financial regulations by placing two of its accounts in United Bank for Africa, UBA and Zenith Bank on fixed deposits, with Mrs. Modibbo, Technical Assistant to the Executive Secretary, who is a Level 13 officer, as one of the signatories contrary to extant financial rules and regulations.

The provisions of the financial rules and regulations requires the head of the Accounts department, not lower than an Assistant Director, to be signatory to the agency’s accounts.
http://premiumtimesng.com/news/147455-exclusive-top-pppra-officials-in-fresh-n3-5billion-fraud-scandal.html

this ain't news bro!!!

wasak: this ain't news bro!!!

Dude u on point dis is not news, 3.2billion scandal in d oil n gas industry is chicken change compared to d 255million in d Aviation industry. The op just dey look for trouble.